Other Developments From 1985

When I posted about Helix’s 1985 album, I mentioned that I had discovered they had a new album out through a Canadian metal magazine known as “Metallion.” I bought this edition of “Metallion” because it just happened to be on the shelf at my local record store and it was different. I mean in Southern New Jersey in 1985, Kerrang only came around every couple of months and was usually that long out of date. Otherwise, for music news, we had Creem magazine but that focused more on mainstream rock and of course, Motley Crue Magazine, sorry, Hit Parader. God, I keep making that Freudian slip.

Although this would be the only copy of “Metallion” I’d every buy, the uniqueness of the magazine has been burned into my memory for nearly three and a half decades. In this issue, I remember reading some great in depth interviews with Iron Maiden, Loudness and Lee Aaron. While there was an article on Motley Crue in this issue, I don’t remember it. I do remember reading about how Ratt’s Stephen Pearcy stuffed socks down his trousers before going onstage. One of my favourite parts was the interview with Ron Keel who gave his thoughts on Yngwie Malmsteen.

It’s like having this big beautiful dick and all the girls want it but instead you only jerk off. That’s what Yngwie Malmsteen does, he just jerks off. He’s a dick with fingers.

I did use a letter in the magazine in “Rock and Roll Children.” In the letters part, some holier than thou type wrote to the magazine in rebuttal to their article on advise on finding summer jobs. This anonymous writer said that any company would not dare hire one of its typical readers and advised them to cut their hair, change their clothes and take another look at that negative force we call music. In “Rock and Roll Children,” a guest speaker at the high school says the same thing to Frankie when he asks about getting a job in a company.

Dr Ruth

By the final months of 1985, commercial radio pretty much sucked. When working at the parking lot for eight hours with nothing more than Top 40 radio for entertainment, I began looking to other stations. One station on Wednesday nights had the “Dr Ruth Show.” As most people know, she had a phone in radio show where she gave lots of advice on sex and her German accent made what she said very much worth listening to. Her show was very amusing and a lot better than having to listen to Wham on the radio.

One of the biggest disappointments from readers of “Rock and Roll Children” is that no one caught the reference I made about Dr Ruth. The comment was from Jeff who, after hearing his sister in the throws of passion, says, “I don’t think my sister will be phoning Dr Ruth saying she doesn’t orgasm.”

Well, you most likely won’t hear from me over the next two weeks. I’m off to the USA for a much deserved vacation and I don’t think I will have access to a computer. So, all of you have a great time and see you when I get back. I’ll post all the photos.

To buy Rock and Roll Children, go to: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rock-Roll-Children-Michael-Lefevre/dp/1609763556/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=michael+d+lefevre&qid=1562881419&s=books&sr=1-1